Road-bed.



G. SCHLEICHER.

ROAD BED.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 3. 19H.

1,246.663. Patented Nov. 13, 1917.

WITNL'SSES- 6 0R 90 (9 I Mama. 7

@M ATTORNEYS GEORGE SCHLEICHER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ROAD-BED.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov; 13,1917.

Application filed February 3, 1917. Serial No. 146,359.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE SoHLnroHER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Man- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a roadbed constructed and. arranged in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section on an enlarged scale, the section being taken as on the line 2-2 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view in detail of one of the paving blocks employed in constructing a traific track or pathway in accordance with the present invention.

Description.

As seen in the drawings, a road-bed when arranged and constructed in accordance with the present invention is provided with a central area or crown 8. This is usually raised slightly above the lateral edges of the road-bed where the same adjoins the curbing 9 which forms in conjunction therewith, the gutter portions 10.

It is desired for special roads that certain classes of traflic should proceed at the sides of the road. Usually this is what is denominated as the traflic of slow-moving vehicles. These slow-moving vehicles are employed forv the conveyance of heavy weights which are dangerous to the road. It is to provide for this condition of travel in this particular traffic that in the present invention tracks are formed at both sides of the road-bed. These tracks are constructed from paving blocks 11 disposed in arallel rows as shown best' in Fig. 1 of the rawin These blocks are prefera 1y formed to provide a top-wearing diamond-shaped area.

This arrangement of the blocks provides for ,ings.

the wheels of vehicles passing gradually from one block to another over said track, thereby transferring gradually the load carried by said wheels from one block to another.

One of the objects in shaping the wearing area of the blocks 11 in the manner above mentioned and as shown in the drawings, is to avoid rocking each block on its foundation. Where fiat slabs or tiles have been employed in making a road-bed, they usually have been sub ect to this disadvantage, owing to the fact that at the extreme edges the support of the blocks under the load is gradually diminished. In other words, in traffic,

blocks of this character have a tendency to be depressed at their ends, the center remaining relatively raised, thereby forming a rocking foundation or rest for each block.

It is to resist the above mentioned action that the present blocks have the inclined surface shown best in Figs .2 and 3 of the draw- The supporting surfaces 12 and 13 are formed of unequal lengths, the former being greater than the latter.

In laying the tracks, the longer supporting surface 12 is advanced in the line of progress of the traffic, which is indicated in the drawings by the arrows thereon.

The surface 13 has a shorter and sharper angle of inclination which results in disposing the greater bulk of each block adjacent what may be termed the rear edge thereof. This disposition of the heavier portion of the blocks accommodates the peculiarity of the service to which they are applied.

It is obvious that when the wheel passes from one block to the next forward block, the effect produced on the forward block resembles somewhat the droppin of a load thereon, whereas when the whee leaves the block, it has the effectofdiminishing or easing the load. In other words, when the weight is primarily imposed upon the block, the hammer effect on said block is greater than when said weight is transferred over the block to the forward edge thereof preparatory to removal therefrom.

This difference in effect is provided for in the present blocks by increasing the strength of the structure of the blocks adjacent the so-called rear edges thereof.

When building a road-bed constructed as shown in the accompanying drawings, the foundation consists of the usual broken rock 14 superimposed upon which is a binder course 15, which may be formed of grouting of some suitable setting cement or of some composition using a bituminous binder.

It is preferred that the blocks 11 shall be set in position during the operation of laying the binder course so that when completed said binder course incloses the lateral edges of the blocks to. the edges 16 thereof above which the blocks conform in thickness to the top or wearing course of the roadbed. This wearing course may be constructed of any suitable material and is brought to a flush level with the wearing surface of the blocks 11.

It is obvious that when a road-bed is built as shown in the accompanying drawings and as herein described, the heavy traffic above referred to may be assigned to the tracks with the result that the pitting or potting of the road heretofore incident to such traffic will be avoided.

It is also obvious that if desired the tracks referred to may be employed for special automobile or fast trailic desiring a relatively smoother road-bed.

It-is equally obvious that when a roadbed is constructed for the tracks herein described, the tratlic regulations will be better observed and followed by the vehicles moving over said road, the tracks serving the desirable purpose of indicating the approved and assigned path or side of the road which is to be followed.

Claims. 1. A road-bed comprising a plurality of tracks, said tracks embodying parallel rows of paving blocks, said rows being spaced apart so that the center lines thereof correspond approximately with the gage of vehicle wheels, said blocks each having a transverse ridge on the under surface thereof.

2. A road-bed comprising a plurality of tracks, said tracks embodying arallel rows of paving blocks, said rows eing spaced apart so that the center lines thereof corre spond approximately with the gage of vehicle wheels, said blocks each havlng a transverse ridge on the under surface thereof, said ridge being formed by the junction of inclined level surfaces which extend from the opposite edges of said blocks to the point of junction forming said ridge.

3. A road-bed comprising a plurality of tracks, said tracks embodying parallel rows of paving blocks, said rows being spaced apart so that the center lines thereof correspond approximately with the gage of vehicle wheels, said blocks each having a transverse ridge on the under surface thereof said ridge being formed by the junction of inclined level surfaces which extend from the opposite edges of said blocks to the point of junction forming said ridge, one of said level surfaces being substantially shorter than the other of said surfaces, and being dis osed adjacent the rear edges of said bloc s to form relatively bulky sections of said blocks adjacent said rear edges thereof;

GEORGE SCI-ILEICHER. 

